1. Who speaks Spanish?

2. Mexico

3. Capital: Mexico, D.F. (Mexico City)
Most Spanish-speakers of any country in the world
Mexico City is the second biggest city in the world
Home of the ancient Mayas and Aztecs

4. Spain

5. Capital: Madrid
The first country to speak Spanish
Was the most powerful country in the world in the 16th and 17th centuries
The worldwide leader in Solar Power
2010 World Cup Champions
Common to eat cereal with chocolate milk

6. Argentina

7. Capital (Buenos Aires)
Largest Spanish-speaking country (by land area)

8. Chile

9. Capital: Santiago
Southernmost point in South America (Tierra del Fuego – Land of Fire)
4672 miles long and only 109 kilometers wide
Amazing skiing and snowboarding (Andes)

10. Bolivia

11. Named after South American Libertador Simon Bolivar
Capital: La Paz
Named after South American Libertador Simon Bolivar
197 inches of rain per year – 16.5 feet!
Chapel Hill – 49 inches – 4 feet

12. Peru

13. Very culturally diverse – very high indigenous population
Capital: Lima
Very culturally diverse – very high indigenous population
Home of the Ancient Incas
Machu Picchu – “Lost city of the Incas” – one of the New Seven Wonders of the World

14. Uruguay

15. Capital: Montevideo
88% of the population is of European descent
Site of the first World Cup

16. Paraguay

17. Capital: Asuncion
Asuncion is ranked as the least expensive city in the world to live in

18. Colombia

19. Capital: Bogota
Colombia is named for Christopher Columbus
Does not have seasons – consistent weather year round

20. Venezuela

21. Capital: Caracas
Name means “Little Venice” after the houses built on stilts that were discovered by the first Europeans
Huge producer of oil

22. Honduras

23. Capital: Tegucigalpa
Home to rainforests, mountains, and lowland plains
Was also home to the Ancient Maya civilization

24. Ecuador

25. Capital: Quito
The Galapagos Islands are part of Ecuador’s territory
The country is named Ecuador because it lies on the equator
25% of the population is indigenous

26. Guatemala

27. Capital: Guatemala City
Tikal – Ancient Maya ruins
The majority of the population of Guatemala lives in Guatemala City

28. El Salvador

29. Capital: San Salvador
El Salvador means “the savior”
The smallest at most densely populated Spanish-speaking country in the Americas

30. Nicaragua

31. Capital: Managua
Largest country in Central America
Lake Nicaragua is the largest lake in Central America
Very diverse geographically and ecologically

32. Costa Rica

33. Capital: San Jose
Name means “Rich coast”
Has no military
Extremely biologically diverse
Ranked First in the Americas in the Environmental Performance Index

34. Panama

35. Capital: Panama City
Home to the Panama Canal – only passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific between Tierra del Fuego and Canada
Uses United States currency

36. Dominican Republic

37. Capital: Santo Domingo
Along with Haiti, comprises the island of Hispaniola
Located in the Caribbean
Has a very large population of Haitian immigrants

38. Cuba

39. Capital: Havana
One of the few socialist countries in the world
United States Embargo against Cuba

40. Equatorial Guinea

41. Capital: Malabo
Only Spanish-speaking county in Africa
Main export was cocoa until large oil reserves were discovered in 1996
French is the second official language
The least populated Spanish-speaking country

42. Puerto Rico

43. Capital: San Juan
Not an independent country. Technically an unincorporated territory of the USA